Identification & Quality Standard
Arnebiae Radix
Botanical Origin
The dried root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc.(ying zi cao), Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst(ruan zi cao), Arnebia guttata Bge.. (Boraginaceae)
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of northeast and Inner Mongolia.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material has thick strips, thick cortex, purple color.
Macroscopic Features
Ying zi cao: Conical, curved, with branches, 7~14cm long, 1~2cm diameter. Externally purplish-red or purplish-black, rough with longitudinal wrinkles, thin cortex, easily falls off. Hard and brittle texture, easily broken, fractured surface has dark purple cortex, relatively large xylem, and grayish-yellow. Distinctive aromatic odor, sour and sweet taste. Ruan zi cao: irregular long cylindrical, often curved, 7~20cm long, 1~2.5cm diameter. Externally purplish-red or purplish-brown, loose cortex, which is flake-like, often has about 10 layers overlapped, easily falls off. Branched remnants of stem can be seen at the apex. Soft texture, loose, easily broken, fractured surface is coarse, relatively small xylem, yellow or yellowish-white. Distinctively aromatic odor, bitter and astringent taste. Arnebia guttata Bge.: slightly thin cortex, often numerous layered, easily falls off, hard and brittle texture, relatively neat fractured surface, relatively small xylem.
